TSP funds post positive returns for April

By Emily Long

May 2, 2011

The investment options in the federal employee retirement savings plan delivered a strong performance in April, following a previous month of mixed results.

The Thrift Savings Plan's I Fund, which invests in international stocks, grew the most in April, increasing 6.03 percent. The C Fund -- invested in common stocks of large companies on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index -- increased 2.96 percent, with the S Fund, which invests in small and midsize companies and tracks the Dow Jones Wilshire 4500 Index, close behind at 2.94 percent.

The S Fund has gained 11.17 percent this year to date. The I Fund is up 9.69 percent in the same period, followed closely by the C Fund, up 9.05 percent so far this year.

The fixed income bonds in the F Fund saw a monthly gain of 1.28 percent, while the stable government securities (G) fund had the lowest monthly growth for April, at 0.25 percent. The fund has increased 0.97 percent so far this year. The F Fund gained 1.73 percent during the same period.

All the life-cycle funds, designed to move investors to less risky portfolios as they get closer to retirement, saw gains following a month of mixed results. The L 2040 rose 3.20 percent in April; L 2030 increased 2.83 percent; L 2020 gained 2.37 percent; and L Income, for people who have reached their target retirement date and have started withdrawing money, rose 1.01 percent. The new L 2050 Fund, which opened on Jan. 31 after the L 2010 closed at the end of last year, grew 3.57 percent.

L 2040 is up 8.02 percent so far this year, with L 2030 close behind at 7.11 percent. L 2020 gained 5.96 percent in that time, and L Income grew 2.74 percent.